


The Combat Zone

by Freddy1X



Series: Two Worlds [3]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Fast Food, Gen, Red-Light District, Road Trip, combat zone, road apples, road burgers, road kill, road pizza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26661835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freddy1X/pseuds/Freddy1X
Summary: Myhuman introducesMeandMyfox to the one true 'Combat Zone',
Series: Two Worlds [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1937995
Kudos: 1





	The Combat Zone

“No, we are not stopping at another one of your 'combat zones'.”

“This is not just another combat zone. This is THE combat zone, number one, the very first , the one that inspired me to invent the term. We must stop there. It is my 'Mecca' of crass commercial districts. You have never been there. None can equal it.”

“It is still a waste of our time. Let's get some 'road burgers' in an hour or so. When we get to the hotel, then we can get some real food.”

 **I** have never explored this part of **My** companion memory before. As trivial as the whole thing sounds, **My** human considers it essential to his being.

The four of us are traveling south on an interstate highway, currently in Kentucky. There is some two world business in Florida that needs tending. We opted for the drive in order to see more of this world. We could always fly back to **My** embassy if something important came up,

'how does he come up with these terms?'  
Before we met, he was a sometimes courier, delivering things that companies didn't want to trust to the big shipping companies. Usually it was driving in the one county where he lived. On rare occasions the trip could cross several states. It's probably because he spent too much time on the road without any real stimulation. The mind can wander.

He describes a 'road burger' as “that cheap franchise food-like stuff you eat while driving”, “on the road” as it were. “It has culinary qualities somewhat like road apples, road kill, or road pizza. A real quality experience.”

And 'combat zones?' As he explains it, it is “that heavily concentrated place at a major intersection of highways where chain restaurants, gas stations and hotels battle it out for any sucker that wanders in off of the road.” When he first wandered into this one, there was in the news at the time, reports about a notorious 'red light' district in Boston, Massachusetts that the law enforcement called the 'combat zone', My human linked the two places together by that name, reasoning that “the merchandise may be different, but the 'sell it' mentality is the same.”

Although his terms are bordering on hyperbole, I will concede that there is some truth to them.

“No way! I have sworn off of eating while driving. Even if I don't have to drive anymore, it's a matter of principal and quality food. Just drive, or stop and eat decent. I'm not that courier anymore. We work for a grrreater good now.” “Besides, I think the crew could use a break also. Stop there, it will be worth it.” Danny and Rowan, our staff / security detail for this trip, are also siding with **My** human. **My** fox is out numbered.  
“OK, if it will shut you all up, then stop.”

It's another 5 miles when we pull into the interstate commercial district that clusters around the exit for Berea, Kentucky. **My** human directs the driver to go to the south-east quadrant of the crossover. That is the original section.

He said that at the time of his first visit all of those years ago, that this was the only developed part. The other three quadrants were grown up in forests, and that even this one was isolated from any other signs of civilization. It was just this lonely patch of 4 short streets for the entire thing. 

Now they have all 4 quadrants paved over with dozens of establishments, all the more to engage in battle. His zone has grown larger, but not better...

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: The above account of my first visit is pretty much how it happened. I was on a trip from Louisville KY to London, KY for computer maintenance. I pulled into this first 'zone' mid year in 1979. As indicated, it consisted of just 4 short streets surrounded by trees all around. Keeping it isolated probably kept the residents of the nearby community safe. Off of I-75, use the exit for Berea, Kentucky. GPS coordinates N37.56728º, W84.311637º are the center of the original buildup as I encountered it.  
> See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_Zone,_Boston
> 
> I first came up with the term 'road burger' sometime in 1980. My job of computer repair meant sometimes long trips out to a company to see to the system in person. Eating while driving was typical.
> 
> Thanks for reading.  
> Have fun, visit Kentucky, and get a proper Road Burger!!
> 
>  **Freddy** ,  
> enjoying the best cuisine.


End file.
